Titan Fall Book 1: The Fallen Angels You Run With
by GurgleBurgle
Summary: A new breed of hero chosen by someone who is known only as "Most High". These heroes are a gift, they are an uprising against the titan scum. Serenity Ivaskov, a newly trained soldier must overcome the darkness inside herself. Freedom comes at a price, love comes at an even higher one. She never thought she would ever have a chance at love, but she knows it's worth fighting for.
1. Chapter 1

**Titan Fall**

Book One: The Fallen Angels you Run With

Author's Note: Please be advised that this story is rated M for mature. I own nothing except for my own characters and creations. I advise anyone who is uncomfortable with blood, gore, intense violence, strong language, sexual themes, sexual violence, and descriptive sexual acts to refrain from reading any further. Reader discretion is advised.

My featured character:

Serenity Ivaskov

Height: 5 ft. 2 in.

Weight: 115 lbs.

Body type: well toned and physically fit. Sleek. Feline.

Hair color and style: Vibrant strawberry blonde. Hangs straight with large side swept bangs. Very long, down to her waist. Usually holds in a ponytail.

Eye color: Bright golden green. (hazel)

Personality: Loves to have fun. Works hard and excels at everything she does. Is passionate and understanding. Is responsible and caring. Puts others before herself and does her best. Will stand up for what she believes in but can remain calm, cool, and collected. In extreme cases of anger or stress she will become cold and refrain from making contact with friends and family for a while. Has a temper but rarely ever shows it. Has a comedic side as well. She likes to pick on people that will pick back.

Hobbies: Art and Music. Killing Titans.

"The day everything changed… The day everything went… to hell….

That was a day I'll never forget..

That was the day that I learned… In order to live.. YOU HAD TO FIGHT!"

 _"_ _My name is Serenity Ivaskov." When the titans broke through the wall, I knew… I knew something had changed. Not only in the eyes of the men, women, and once joyful children running around me in a panic, but in myself. A human can only take so much before something just… snaps. You can hear change in the screams of the victims as they're being bitten in half, ripped apart, or just swallowed whole. I felt something warm and wet fall onto my shoulder… This can't be real…_

 _I lifted my hand in a robotic like motion and grabbed at whatever had fallen on me. I could only stare at the piece of intestine in shock as the gore dripped down my arm and back… I slowly looked up into the face of the 14 meter tall titan that was currently looking straight at me. " Run! Serenity you have to move! NOW!" I could barely register the voice of my father and I could only stand there and watch as the titan reached down and grabbed for me. Before I could blink, my father had dove in front of me and the titan had him in a death grip. I looked on as the titan lifted my father into the air. " Serenity!" I heard him scream. I looked up to him, my eyes widening. " Be a good girl.. be strong. Daddy loves you honey.. Remember that, but also remember, that in order to live, YOU HAVE TO FIGHT!" As he said those words, my father let loose a battle cry. I watched him claw, bite, punch, and rip into the arm of the titan holding him prisoner. I watched him fight to the bitter end. As the titan bit into my father, the shock wore off and I let loose a blood curdling scream…_

I was woken up by someone screaming bloody murder. I knew who it was but that didn't make the screaming stop. I took a breath. It took me only 3 minutes to stop screaming this time. The nightmares never end. Every night it's the same thing. I'm forced to relive my father's death and his last words. This is why I bunked alone in the dorms. No one could take my screaming in the night. I shivered as the sweat on my body started to cool. I let my breathing return to normal before I got up from my cot and walked to the window. As I moved the curtain the light of the full moon signaled that it was still late, but I knew going back to bed was useless. I can never get back to sleep once the dream has happened. I went back to my cot and wrapped myself in my blanket. Then there was a knocking sound. " Serenity.. It's me. Can I come in?" I knew who it was. She always showed up for me after she would hear the scream. " Yeah, come in.." I said, my voice all but lost due to the strain of the scream on my throat. " Hey sweet thang, You okay?" She asked sweetly. " Yeah, I'll be fine Bria. You know I'm always fine." I wheezed. "Thanks for coming anyway though… I can't sleep." "Me either. We have training tomorrow and this titan test is really starting to get to me. The pressure is intense." She whispered as she climbed under my blanket with me. Her shoulder length brown hair tickling my nose. " I know what you mean, all the squad captains and commanding officers are going to be there. Even the damn MP's are going to be watching." I whispered back. This test was a placing test. It determined how well you could handle yourself in the field. The higher your score, the better. The more skilled went to the Military Police. A glorified sloth of a position behind the inner walls. They never saw combat. Hell most of them have never even seen a titan before. Lucky them, wouldn't want to scar anyone for life now would we?

Bria's brown eyes stared into my own." You still hoping to join the scouts?" Bria asked, turning onto her back to gaze up at the ceiling as I was. "Yes." I said with finality. "Have you seen the way they look when they come back from outside the wall?" I looked at her dead in the face. "Listen Bria, I'm not going to change my mind. Yes they look defeated and lost, but I want to change all of that. What if I can contribute to the cause and for once see them come through those gates with light in their eyes? What if I can help make something a success? I will use all my strength to help them fight, and to avenge my father." I whispered fiercely. Bria looked at me for a moment then huffed a sigh. "Well, it's decided then…." What's decided?" I asked. I knew she was up to something. "That means I'm going to be joining the scouts as well! You know I can't leave my bestest buddy to go fight the big baddies all on her own!" She gushed as she relentlessly squeezed the air from my lungs. " Stahp!" I wheezed. She laughed as I caught my breath and I smiled as well. I wouldn't leave her either. "Thanks for sticking with me dude." "Hey no problem. We're like two chubby peas in a far out pod, remember?" She said laughing. I laughed as well. " Now let's try to go to sleep, we have a big day tomorrow." She said as she cuddled deeper into my blanket. That was the first night I fell asleep after the dream had startled me awake.

Author's note: Hey guys! I know this is really short for a first chapter but I just wanted a nice crisp opening. Hope you guys like it so far! This is my first story so I'd really love to hear what you guys think. C:


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Hey… HEY! Wake up!" I opened my eyes to see Bria looking down on me from the side of my cot. "What.." I said groggily, sitting up and yawning. " It's time to get a move on. The test is in four hours." She said as she rubbed her own eyes. I got out of bed and got my towel and robe together. Then I walked with Bria to her room next door so she could get hers as well. We traveled in sleepy silence to the showers. " You nervous?" She asked as we both showered. " Nah, we got this shit." I said as I rinsed off. We both dried off, put on our robes and left the showers. We reached our rooms in just a few minutes. " Alright, lets get dressed and head down to the dining hall." Bria said as she stopped in front of the door to her room. " Yeah, I'll meet you down there." I said as I walked on to my room.

I entered my room and proceeded to put my cadet uniform on and make sure all the belts were in place, dried my hair and put it up in a ponytail, then left for the dining hall. As I entered the hall I was assaulted with the loud noise of people laughing, and talking. I could hear the other cadets talking about how badass they were going to be today. The elation and excitement in the room was intoxicating and I soon found myself with my back a little straighter and my head held a little higher. Today was the day. I was going to be picked for the scouts, or I would go beyond the walls as a rogue. I had decided that long ago. I grabbed some breakfast and walked around to find Bria. " Serenity, over here!" I looked to the far right and I could see Bria waving me over.

I smiled and walked over to her table. She was sitting with some other cadets. Friends of ours who were going to be testing with us as well. "Hey dudes. You all ready for the placement test?" I asked as I sat down to eat. "Psht! Hell yeah!" A boy said with excitement. He had sandy blonde hair that hung to his neck and a dark tan. " Rai, the only thing you're ready for is an ass kicking!" Another boy with dark black hair and pale skin said sarcastically. "Hey Mikail, stop talking shit! I've beaten you multiple times and I know if I can beat you, anyone can beat you!" Bria said laughing. At this point I had laughed and spewed water all over the damn place. Then the whole table was laughing. It did wonders to lighten the mood. In reality we were all on edge. Every cadet was. We all knew today would lay the path for the rest of our lives. We all had worked our asses off for this test, and we were all determined to be better than each other. We all ate and joked around for the remainder of our breakfast hour. Mostly the joking consisted of which one of the guys could be brave enough to yell penis the loudest. In the end Bria won. After we were done eating we all got up and went outside and walked to the training yard.

The mood grew somber as we stepped up to the forest gate where our testing would take place. Soon the cadets were all there and we lined up, waiting for instruction. I hugged Bria, Rai, and Mikail before we lined up. It was our ritual before the test. Just in case someone didn't make it. " ALRIGHT PISSANTS!" The commander yelled. " Today is our Cadet Placement Exam. Behind me and beyond the perimeter we have set, is the forest. In this forest we have lured titans of different sizes. Squad captains will be present throughout the test in order to see your progress." At this statement I looked over to the side to see all the squad captains lined up and ready to go. The commander continued. " You're mission today is to kill as many titans as possible. Listen, out of the 25 of you, only an average of five percent will make it through today. Those five percent will be chosen by said captains to join their squads. The others will be dead." The tension in the air ramped up a few hundred notches. I took a deep breath, I was ready. " Now prepare yourselves. Equip your ODM gear and line back up!"

At the commanders command we all filed into lines to receive our ODM gear. Once each cadet had their gear on, it was go time. I stood back in line awaiting direction and watched as the commander walked up to Bria. He began asking her if she made sure her gear was okay. She reassured him it was. He gave her one final serious look, his way of telling his daughter to be careful and that he loved her. " Alright. Now, good luck to you all!" As the commander said this he raised a pistol and fired. I took off running with my arms back and head down. I passed many cadets who were too nervous to even move. I weaved through the cadets and unleashed my wires into the wall. As my feet hit the wall I took off running. I glanced to my left and right and I could see Bria and Rai following my lead. They maneuvered to flank my sides. I looked at them and gave them a nod, our signal that it was time to move. We picked up the pace as one and breached the top of the wall and flew into the forest. As we wove through the trees I could see the captains on the move as well, watching us. I took a deep breath to steel myself. This was it.

No sooner than we had gotten into the forest, I landed on a branch higher in the air and held my fist up signaling for Rai and Bria to stop as well. They immediately halted a few feet under me. I tucked into a crouch and motioned with my hand for them to listen. The forest stood silent except for the lone whizzing of tactical lines and gas powered fans of the ODM gear. I looked far off into the trees and I could see Captain Levi and Commander Erwin studying some of the lone cadet stragglers. I looked past them, there they were. Two titans. One fourteen meter and one ten meter. I clicked my tongue to get the attention of my two partners. I signaled that there were two titans straight ahead, they seemed to be a little more nervous than usual. Rai looked up at me and mouthed "Mikail". I looked at him sternly and shook my head. He wasn't coming into the forest. He was one of the cadets that I had to run around on the way to the wall. I signaled for us to advance, not even knowing that Captain Levi was following us. We swung through the trees as silent as a shadow. I signaled for them to stop above the titans. As I perched on a branch above the fourteen meter titan with long hair and a bloated stomach, he turned and looked straight at me. I was about to attach a cable to his shoulder to swing around and slice into his neck when I heard a snap, and then a scream.

Time seemed to go in slow motion. I looked over to the right and I saw one of my greatest fears becoming reality. Bria had perched on a branch that wasn't strong enough to support her weight. It snapped and now she was falling… straight toward the gaping mouth of a titan I hadn't seen. Faster than lightning I deployed my ODM gear and came at the awaiting titan at full speed, but I was too late. Bria had been devoured.. only her torso and innards remained dangling from the titans maw. This is one of those rare times… that I snapped. "BRIA!" I screamed her name the whole time it took me to get to the titan that had eaten her. I pulled a blade from my gear and stabbed the titan in the eye as I passed. The beast shrieked in pain and I took the chance to swing around and cut a clean slice from the nape of it's neck. The bastard fell to the ground as I swung toward the remaining two titans.

I roared as I barreled toward the fourteen meter titan, flipping into a spin to slice all the way up it's arm rendering it useless. The titan screeched in outrage and attempted to knock my lines down but I retracted them just in time. I shot a hook to the forehead of the titan and vaulted over his head, flipping then deploying my other hook to a tree to maneuver past the nape of the neck. I sliced a bigger chunk out of his neck and sent it flying to the ground. The titan wailed and then dropped in a heap on the forest floor. I looked over, Rai had taken care of the ten meter titan I had spotted beforehand…. With tears in his eyes. We all knew Bria was his sweetheart.. and that made it all the more painful for me. I was now hurting for him as well. She was my best friend… my partner in crime.. and now she was gone.

I deployed my ODM gear once more and skirted through the trees coming dangerously close to the ground then swinging back up to gain momentum. I already knew Rai would follow, he always looked out for us all when we were kids, it was no different now. I could also hear a third set of lines. I looked over and noticed Captain Levi was still following close behind. I growled in rage as I caught sight of another tall, dark, and ugly bastard. I immediately went for him. I swung straight past him, clipping his neck in the process. I moved on almost instantly. " Keep your head in the game Rini!" I could hear her.. Bria. Of course she would cheer me on and use my annoying nickname just to piss me off. I was crying freely now as I kept finding titans and slashing through their necks. Rai followed but didn't make a move to dispel any of the bastards. He was in shock, I knew. The only reason I was even functioning at all was because I locked away my emotions. It's what I did when I was a child after I saw my father get eaten, then later on as I started my training. I was praised for my lack of emotion and my calm cool in a state of emergency. I used that calm and cool now. Soon we saw a green flare fly through the air signaling that the last titan had fallen and that we were to exit the testing grounds. Rai and I turned around and flung ourselves through the forest at breakneck speeds. Soon we reached the edge and flew over the wall using our ODM gear to land safely. After catching my breath I looked around… out of twenty-five people… only eight had made it back alive.

" Alright cadets… line up." The commander stated softly. We all lined up. I held my head high as he moved to stand in front of us. " You eight are the only ones who made it back." At his words my shield began to crack.. I had tears threatening to spill over. " You should be proud of yourselves, you've made it and you've proven that you can help humanity survive the titan scourge." The commander paced in front of our line, I was crying freely now. I would not utter a sound though… I will be strong. For Bria.

As the commander passed in front of me he stopped and placed his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry…" I whimpered. "I-I'm so sorry… Bria.. she-" I had to stop and take a breath. "I know Rini… I saw. I saw that you tried to save my Bria. It's okay. We all knew the risks of this trial.." The commander stated solemnly. "She was a wonderful daughter, she made me proud to be her father." I closed my eyes and clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palms. " She was my best friend sir.. " I began to shake. " I'll love her always." I said looking into the commanders eyes. " I know you will, and so will I. We must be strong now cadet…" I gave him a nod and cleared my throat as he squeezed my shoulder and moved on. " Yes sir.." I whispered. " Now cadets, our captains will choose based on skill, bravery, tactical ability, and team work. I looked to my left as a wagon was being led away from the testing sight. There were cadets in the wagon, being sent back for not completing their mission. I caught site of Mikail, sitting with his head down riding in the back. He looked up in time to catch my eyes and I tried to give him a look that said "where the fuck were you?", but he just screwed his face up in a scowl and jerked his head away.

I returned my attention to the test as the captains came to announce their choices. I was only listening for two names now.. my own, and Rai's. No sooner than I looked back, his name was called. Commander Erwin had chosen him for his personal squad. This made me proud of him. Only the gifted were chosen by Erwin. I looked at him and smiled. " Good luck Rai, train hard." I whispered to him as he passed me by. He looked at me and gave me a sad smile. " You too Rini… stay strong.. for Bria." "Yeah.. I will. " I croaked. And then he was off.. with his new team. I listened as the others had their names called. There were three of us left when I heard my name being called by a voice as rich as the earth smelled. I heard collective gasps coming from the other cadets. "Serenity Ivaskov. I choose you for my squad." It was Levi. My eyes widened and I walked forward. " Levi hasn't chosen a cadet in six years.." I heard a cadet whisper. "Yeah he always says the newbies are not even close to being good enough.." Another answered back. I walked forward with my back ramrod straight and my head held high.

" Serenity Ivaskov reporting, sir!" I said sternly as I saluted with my fist over my heart. Levi scrutinized me with his eyes, judging me and my emotional state. "Come, you are now the new member of squad four, I will be your captain." My heart skipped a beat at the sound of his rich, smooth voice. For what reasons, I have no clue. Could be the adrenaline still coursing through my veins or the excitement of being chosen to serve the captain I had wanted to serve most. Either way I was elated and grateful. "I won't let you down, sir." I said honestly, keeping eye contact with him. " Let's hope not…" He said as he turned and motioned for me to follow. This was it, my new life. A new beginning. I will work hard, train hard, and fight hard. I won't ever give up. So many people depend on us, and I know one person can make all the difference.

Author's note: I really hope you guys like this because I'm literally creating the story as I go. XD hehe… I know it's not the best and that might be poor planning but I just like to write and see where things take me. Let me know what you guys think! Thanks for sticking with me!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I awoke to sunlight filtering into my room and landing on my face. The warmth felt nice but I squinted against the harsh light as I tried to fully awaken. I lay there on my cot for a moment, thinking about the events that occurred during the placement exam. From my understanding, they never tested cadets that way in the past. They began the exam because they decided everyone should have experience with titans. It's all thanks to the MP's. Due to some having never seen a titan, they froze in battle when they were called in for reinforcements. Ever since everyone figured out that they weren't worth shit in a fight, they began testing cadets with real titans. Only the best made it. Yes, it was harsh, but it was a sure way to make sure every soldier knew what they were up against whether you were on the inner or outer walls. The enemy is the same. They chose the testing grounds with specific conditions in mind. The cover of the trees didn't allow for much sunlight to come though. This was helpful for anyone going through the exam because it made the titans lethargic.

I sighed as I straightened and stretched. Swinging my feet to the floor I gathered my towel and robe then made my way to the female showers. Upon entering the soldiers who had been talking amongst themselves quieted. Some of the women continued to shower but then others were staring directly at me, mostly with sneers on their faces. As I made my way to one of the shower stalls toward the back of the room I met every woman's sneer with cold indifference. I wasn't a cocky bastard by far but when other people raise their ugly heads, I won't sit idly by and let them disrespect me. I knew why I was getting treated as such. Apparently being the first cadet chosen by the best captain just makes people talk. They think that you think that you're better than they are. In reality though, it's true. Now I don't go around bragging and rubbing it in everyone's faces, but I didn't get to where I'm at by being weak.

As my mind began to wander I started the hot water. Steam filled my stall as I let the water cascade down my back. I didn't really do anything after the exam. Captain Levi had told me to follow him, and I did. He took me back to his office where I received my uniform. My Wings of Freedom. Then he told me to take the rest of the day and the next day off for bereavement. I mourned Bria through the night. It really hit hard when I had my usual nightmare, but my usual warmth didn't come afterward because Bria was not there to check on me or keep me company. I'll adjust quick enough though. My mother died giving birth to me, and my father… eaten by a titan. As a child I was accustomed to being by myself. Between fending off bullies and working for food in the shop stalls on the street, I became a hardened child. I learned how to earn my keep and to give respect when it was due. Speaking of respect.. there is no one I respect more than Captain Levi. While I was working in the street stalls I would watch the Scouting Regiment depart and return. Levi was always in the lead. Always with his head held high even went shit had gone south. The man was a beast. Strong and loyal. He valued hard work. My respect for him grew with every outing they departed on. They were on a mission. I made it my goal to one day be good enough to be chosen for his squad, and I finally succeeded.

I looked around to see some of the women in the showers look at me and snicker. I muffled a snort and continued to wash myself. "Stupid assholes.." I muttered as I rinsed my hair. After I had finished showering I turned off the water and grabbed my towel. I stepped out of the shower and looked around. There were a lot of eyes on me… and a lot of sneers that needed to be wiped. I smirked at everyone who was staring at me. As I was smirking I moved my arms to let my towel fall to the floor and I cupped one of my breasts. " You ladies see something you like?" I asked on a mock laugh. I laughed even harder when the women who had been sneering dropped their jaws.

I grabbed my towel and proceeded to walk through the room. "You better pick your jaws up off the floor ladies, it's not polite to gawk." They proceeded to shut their mouths and finally mind their own business. I smirked as I put my bath robe on and proceeded out of the showers. I had just turned the corner to the hall where my door was when I saw a dark form leaning up against my door. As I got closer, I noticed it was Captain Levi. I stopped short. " He shows up now… of all times! I don't even have anything on under this fucking thing!" I thought frantically to myself. " Alright, fuck it. You're a soldier, act with dignity no matter what the circumstance." I took a breath to steel my nerves and walked toward him with my head held high. "Ivaskov.." My breath hitched in my lungs.. That voice. It was like chocolate. Smooth and rich. "Yes sir." I said sternly. "Training starts tomorrow morning. Be ready and down in the stables by sunrise. We're going to train you to ride." He finished with a slight half smile as if he were amused with a thought he had.

I didn't know I had been holding my breath until I felt my lungs burn with the lack of oxygen. He was waiting for confirmation, and all I was doing was getting myself lost in the storm of his grey eyes. Eyes that had seen so much death. I suddenly felt sad for him. Not pity but the sadness in his eyes made my heart ache. I stood there as he looked at me, his expression being his usual cold mask. I caught movement, it was so fast I almost thought that my mind was playing tricks on me. He had let his eyes wander down for the briefest of moments, then he was looking into my eyes once more. "It's getting colder, Ivaskov. You should dry off before you catch a cold. See you at training. " With that, he turned and strode down the hall that led to his office. When he finally disappeared from sight I gasped and clutched my chest, dragging in huge gulps of air. I still had trouble breathing around him even though I had told myself to. As I let my arm fall from my chest toward the door knob to my room I stopped in my tracks. My arm had rubbed something tender.. I looked down. " No fucking way… " I groaned. My robe had basically clung to every curve of my body and my nipples were so hard they nearly tore through the fabric. " Whyyyyy.." I groaned to myself. I guickly entered my room and dried off the rest of the way. " Of course I would embarrass myself in front of him… " I ranted to myself the whole time I got dressed in my civilian clothing. Cotton bra and panties with white jeans, a maroon long-sleeved sweater that hung off of one shoulder, and black leather boots that reached my ankle. I dried my hair, put it up into a quick bun, then fixed it to where some of the longer wisps framed my face. After I was happy with how I looked I traveled down to the dining hall for breakfast.

Upon entering the hall everyone who had been talking or laughing quieted. I held my head high as I walked past some of the tables to get to the breakfast line. I slid a tray from the stack and grabbed fruit, oatmeal, and some black tea. I then made my way over to find somewhere to sit. I was scanning the crowd, looking for a place to sit when I spotted Captain Levi. He was sitting alone, going over some forms he had on the table as he ate. We made eye contact and he motioned that I was welcome to take the seat across from him. I took a deep breath and moved quickly to his table and proceeded to take a seat. I had just started raising food to my face when he turned quickly to glare at the others in the room. Pausing, I stared in awe as the soldiers in the room went back to talking and eating, like nothing even happened. I studied Levi as he went back to looking over his papers and sipping tea. He was an amazing man.

I felt my heartbeat quicken just by looking at him. He was beautiful. We ate in comfortable silence for a while, then I watched as his brow furrowed in frustration. " What's wrong, Captain?" I murmured. He gave a long sigh as he threw down the papers he was holding. " These damn strategies for going beyond the wall, they don't make sense. They all have us together in one huge group. We need a plan to make sure we see the titans before they're on our asses…" He was deep in thought now. " If I may, I can help you strategize, Captain." He looked straight at me then huffed. " Tell me what you have in mind, Ivaskov." I smiled to myself. Finally, I'm getting to make a difference. "Well, " I said grabbing the papers. " Instead of just all of us being in one huge ball of titan feed, we need to spread out. I suggest having the wagons and some teams to guard them in the center, but on the outer perimeter I suggest having groups of 3 surveying the land. They can surround the inner teams and shoot flares for signals. Say, if they spot a titan or an abnormal. We can all pass the message on through flares and the whole formation will know in a matter of minutes." I finished my pitch and looked up to his face. I held my breath as he stared at me, his brow no longer furrowed in frustration. One side of his mouth quirked up in a slight curve.

" That… sounds like it just might work. I like the way you think Ivaskov." I let my breath out. " Thank you, sir. I know I'm new but I really want to contribute to your squad.' I murmured. "Hm." He affirmed. We ate the rest of our meal in comfortable silence, and I didn't stop staring at Levi almost the entire time. He was gorgeous, lethal, and amazing. He was strong and always ready for combat. As I was walking outside to go into town, it dawned on me why my heart raced and why my breath got stuck in my lungs when he was around. " Ahh shit.." I mumbled to myself. I had a thing for Captain Levi.

It was late when I returned to the Regiment quarters. I had decided a walk around town to get my head straight after the events of the past couple days would be good. . While I was walking I happened upon some of the vendors I had worked for as a kid. They had all taken a liking to me and they've always treated me well. They always try to make sure I have what I need and they take care of me. They even went as far as to pack me some bags full of goodies for my squad. I smiled a genuine smile, the first since..well, since forever. As I made my way back to my room I had to be careful not to wake anyone. Most of the soldiers were asleep, getting ready for training the next day. "I guess I should be doing the same…" I huffed to myself. I entered my room and set the bags filled with goods down on the small table that came with all of our rooms. I undressed and crawled under my blankets, sighing as the warmth from the blanket helped relax me. No sooner than my head hit the pillow, I was out.

"Serenity.." I turned as I heard the familiar, warm, voice. " Father..? Where are you?" I asked. As I looked around, I could see no one else with me. I turned in a complete circle, surveying the damage around me. Shattered wood and the broken stone of houses littered the area as far as I could see. " Be strong Rini." My eyes widened. " Bria?! Bria where are you?!" I took off running, frantic to find them. I had run a pretty good distance when I found a horrifying sight. " You…!" My body wouldn't stop trembling. Two titans had come into view, and I recognized them instantly. " You… you killed my father…you killed Bria.." I drew my blades from my ODM gear and prepared to lift into the air. Just as I was about to engage my lines to the nearest building a blur of black and green flew past me. I didn't even get to blink before both titans had their napes sliced open, and then.. they were falling to the ground. " What.. happened?" I whispered.

As the titan steam cleared I could make out the shape of 3 people standing atop the titans. The man in green lead the other two towards me and I stopped breathing all together. There, right in front of me. " Father… Bria!" I sobbed as I fell to my knees. Both of them knelt beside me and I embraced them, crying my heart out. "It's alright honey, I'm here now." My father said as he squeezed me tighter. "Me too, Rini." Bria croaked as I squeezed the air from her. We all stood as one, my father and Bria stepping back. " We must go now, but we want you to know that we're okay." Bria whispered. I was still fighting to breathe normally. " Don't go.." I sobbed. " Serenity, we were given this chance to see you from the Most High." My father stated solemnly. " The Most High..? Who's that..?" I asked, wiping my eyes. " You'll soon find out, but I want to tell you that I love you, and I've never been more proud." "Me too!" Bria chimed in. " I love you both too!" I sobbed as they vanished into thin air… still smiling and waving at me. I had cried for a good while it seemed, and as I stood, I was face to face with the person who defeated the titans. I gasped as I recognized him immediately. " Captain… Levi..?" I whispered.

" You seem surprised, Ivaskov.." His eyes never left mine. I let my gaze roam over him, he was in his scout regiment uniform. All muscle, velvet covered steel. " But how… how are you here..?" I asked breathlessly. He was gorgeous. I had never seen his eyes shine with such intensity. He cleared his throat to regain my attention. " I was sent here to destroy that which plagues you most. No one should suffer how you've suffered, how we've all suffered. We will defeat these bastards and gain our freedom." He was beginning to back away as if to leave. "Wait.. this doesn't make any sense. Who sent you?" I asked frantically. He only smirked, a half smile claiming his face. " You'll see soon enough." He abruptly turned his back to me and I was about to follow him until a pair of magnificent black wings unfurled themselves from under his Scout Regiment cloak. All at once he took flight, powerful wings carrying him higher until he was no longer in sight. I held my hand out as a lone black feather fell from the sky and into my palm…

I awoke with a gasp, sitting up so fast I got a head rush. " What the fuck…?" I whispered to myself. I shook my head to try to clear it and make sense of the dream I just had… I felt oddly at peace. " This is the first time in years… that I haven't woken up screaming…" I thought to myself as I stretched, reaching my arms above my head. " What the fuck kind of dream was that?! I think I'm seriously beginning to have too much Levi on my mind!" I snickered to myself. Then as I opened my eyes I gasped. Lowering my arms I studied the object that now lay in the palm of my hand… A lone black feather.

Author's note: Yeah it's unexpected and stuff but hey, I wanted to add my own details and my own creations to the story. I really want to come up with something unique but at the same time I still want things to relate to the anime. I hope you like it! Thanks for all the support!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The morning light was glaring down on the pasture where the war horses were all grazing. I was standing on the bottom pole of the wooden fence, looking out as far as I could to see them all. Huge beasts that were fast, lethal, and brave. They trusted us to take care of them on the outside of the wall, just like we trusted them to have our backs. I climbed down from the fence and walked over to the stables.

"Its almost time.." I whispered to myself. I began playing with the large black feather that I had woken up with. I crimped the end of my hair around the quill so it would stay in my hair. It seemed to bring me comfort, which was odd to say but hey, you don't question gut feelings. I then proceeded to give myself a pep talk in my mind. "Alright, first day of training. You've ridden horses a million times on the farm. Yeah they're huge but they're still tamed animals… very huge, very lethal, so big they could bite a chunk of your ass off…but.. still just horses. You got this Rini." I was still pacing and giving myself a talk when the squad showed up.

"Hey! It's the newbie!" I looked at a taller man, with a cocky attitude. He had hair that was bowl cut. It looked like he was trying to imitate Levi but his hair was just a little too curly for it. He looked at me with a droopy, uncaring, and sarcastic stare. "Shut up Oluo." Another man said. I switched my attention to him. Long blonde hair and a serious but respectable expression. "He must be Levi's second…" I thought to myself. " All y'all need to shut your damn mouths! We are here to train. Focus." A third voice replied sternly. He had short dark hair with slightly darker skin. He looked a little too serious. They were all quarrelling to each other when Levi walked into the stables. "Enough.." He said sternly. "This is how you 3 assholes act in front of a new member..? Way to show her what idiots you all are."

" PFFFTTT! Oluo started the whole damn thing by picking on her. I was just telling him to shut his mouth before he bit his damn tongue!" The dark haired man stated exasperatedly. At that moment Oluo tried to speak against him but his tongue was swollen and there was blood dripping from him mouth. The blonde with long hair then walked up to me and held out his hand. "The name's Eld. Sorry about these two idiots. You'll get used to it in time." He said smirking. I took his hand and shook it. " Nice to meet you, I'm Serentiy." I said professionally. I wanted to make a good impression. Eld nodded to me as if to affirm my name.

"That goon who was talking shit is Oluo. He is always being a dick. You can just knock the shit out of him if it gets to be too much. The hothead is Gunther. He is the most serious son of a bitch you will ever meet but he has his good moments." I nodded in agreement. They were both assholes in my book, but this is my squad now and I'll learn to love them. We lined up as Levi strode further into the stables. "Alright today we are training Rini to ride. She might need some assistance so please grab your horses and mount up. We're taking her to the pasture so she can pick her steed and we can begin the breaking." The team then split up, each of them going to separate stalls with their names on them. Each had their own horse that they themselves raised. I watched as Levi pushed a stall door to the side and a giant grey stallion greeted him. I stared in wonder as the horse greeted Levi like a good friend, rubbing his satin nose in Levi's hair.

Levi then gave him a pat and turned to me, the horse looked at me as well. "I know he's big but he won't hurt you. He's a gentle giant until he is on the battlefield." Levi said with his usual stoic expression. The horse then moved past Levi and walked up to me. He lowered his head to look me in the eyes. I raised my hand to stroke his soft nose and he rested his forehead against mine. "He's amazing.." I breathed. "Hm.." Levi huffed. "It's quite rare that he let's strangers touch him, he must like you." I let out my breath that I didn't know I was holding and the horse continued to look at me. Then all at once I felt a firm but gentle grip around my waist and I was airborne. I landed with a soft thud on the horse's back, and a huge blush at the fact that levi had his arms around me. He then mounted in front of me and settled into the saddle. All the while everyone else had mounted up and was waiting at the pasture gate.

"What's his name?" I asked levi as he motioned for his horse to walk toward the gate. "His name is Arion." Levi stated, the horses ears flicked back at the sound of his name. "Arion.. it suits him." I stated patting the horses behind. We had the reached the gate and a boy and what looked to be his father, the stable caretaker, opened the gate. "You might want to hold on to me…" Levi said, smirking as he glance back at me over his shoulder. "Oh shit… " I whispered as I felt the horse paw at the ground with his hooves. He was ready to run like hell was on his tail. I had thrown my arms around Levi's waist just as the gates fully opened, and the horses took off. I squeezed my arms tight around my captain and held on for dear life as Arion raced across the pasture at breakneck speeds. After Arion took off running I couldn't hear anything except for the thunder in my ears. I squinted my eyes open to look around and found the source of the thunder. Eld, Gunther, and Oluo were right behind us, their horses seemed to keep pace with ease but the sound of their hooves beating into the earth was deafening.

I looked forward as we were coming up over the ridge and my eyes widened. Nothing but war stallions for miles. All running free or playing. Levi brought Arion to a steady walk but I didn't loosen my grip on Levi. Not a damn inch. If the horse decided he wanted to take off I'd be on the ground in a matter of seconds. Levi then turned to me and chuckled. "What's wrong Serenity? Did you get scared? You're breathing like you just ran a mile." "I'm…fine. Just… winded." I gasped between panting breaths. I saw Levi smirk as he led Arion toward the other stallions. "Alright, be looking for the one you want." I heard Levi say over his shoulder. "I..get to pick?" I asked feeling excited that I would get to choose my own. "Yes, we all pick our own mounts. Now, do you see one that you like? We need to catch it." I looked out over all of the horses. There was such a diversity it was insane. Some smaller, some massive, in a range of colors that panned the spectrum. White, brown, black, auburn, and bay stallions were everywhere. Some even looked to be golden, their coats shining in the early morning sun. I squinted my eyes to look out across the field and almost immediately knew which one I wanted.

"I see the one I want." I stated to Levi. "Which one..?" He asked peering back at me from the corner of his eye. "Do you see the golden Clydesdale? I want that one." I said pointing out into the herd. "Alright, you guys heard her. Let's get the horse singled from the herd so we can catch it." As Levi continued to give out orders for a plan to get the horse separated from the rest, I stroked Arion's side. He seemed to relax under the petting. Levi then turned to me. "Alright Serenity. It's been decided that I'm going to go get your horse…alone." "What?!" I squeaked. "Why?!" "Well, you just so happened to choose the horse no one has been able to catch. I have yet to try though so this may be fun." Levi said with his trademark smirk. "I am going to have to ask you to dismount Arion though, regretfully I can't have your arms around me while I try to capture your mount."

I blushed as he turned his smirk on full blast. I let my arms fall from Levi's waist as I carefully slid down Arion's side. I walked around to Arion and patted him on the nose and he messed with my hair. "Alright, let's hope this goes well." Levi stated as he led Arion toward the herd. I walked over to Eld's bay mare and gently stroked her neck as I watched Levi. "Well, thanks to you newbie, we are most likely going to see our Captain put in the hospital." Oluo said on a grimace. "WHAT?!" I screamed. "Why?!" That horse hasn't been caught because it has killed everyone who has tried." Eld said somberly. "You've got to be shitting me… and you all were too much of a coward to help him?! You're a team, he is our Captain!" I yelled furiously as I began marching down toward the herd. "Serenity, stay back! That's an order!" Gunther yelled. I gave him the finger as I kept walking. "It's her damn funeral.." Oluo stated in his cocky asshole way.

I continued toward the herd as Levi led Arion around between the bodies of other horses, trying to isolate the Clydesdale. The other horses flowed together around Arion like water but the Clydesdale didn't budge. It knew what was happening and it didn't seem fazed. Then all at once, it was like a switch had flipped. The Clydesdale charged at Arion who barely got out of it's way. Levi then kicked Arion into a sprint, rope at the ready to catch the horse I had chosen.

As Arion was catching up to the golden beast, it suddenly tucked it's head down and took off like a bullet. Once it was a distance away it turned sharply and started sprinting head on toward Arion and Levi. "Look out!" I yelled over the roar of thundering hooves as the rest of the herd grew frantic and nervous. I kept an eye out for stray horses as I continued running for Levi. Arion reared as the clydesdale bit into his neck and I watched as Levi was forced to dismount as the horses fought. Arion continued to give chase to the clydesdale, revenge clearly seen within his eyes. Levi was now running after Arion as another fight broke out between the stallions. I finally caught up to Levi as the horses reared and crashed together. Their screams could shatter glass. Levi was walking around the brawling beasts, rope at the ready for the perfect moment.

I looked on as both horses reared again, their hooves ripping into each other. All at once Arion lost his footing on his hind legs and crashed to the ground. The golden clydesdale saw the opportunity and was getting ready to slam his front hooves down into Arion's neck. All of my training with horses seemed to surface in that instant. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as I ran toward Levi and snatched the rope from his hands. I Formed a slip knot in the middle of the lengthy rope and got behind the clydesdale as it reared for the final blow on Arion. I threw the middle of the rope with the knot over the beast's head and pulled back so it went around the mouth. I pulled the ropes on either side tight and as I did I used the ropes to hoist myself onto the beast's back. This is when all hell seemed to break loose.

As soon as the horse felt my wieght on it's back, It turned in a tight circle and Levi was now in it's path. I pulled back on the ropes to halt the horse, it worked but only for a moment. Levi had taken those couple seconds to move from it's path and to Arion who had gotten up with nostrils flaring. He was pissed. I had to tighten my legs around the animal's sides, it didn't help much considering the sheer size of the damned thing, and I tightened the ropes even more. All at once the beast took off with it's head down. I tucked closer to it's body, being wary of the moment when it would suddenly stop and rear its head to smash me in the face. I tugged back on the ropes again, forcing the horse's mouth to it's chest in an effort to get it to stop running. It worked but as the horse slowed, it began to buck. It's hind legs flying into the air with sporadic kicks and screams. I kept my legs clenched to it's sides and I gripped it's mane with the ropes in my hands pulled taut.

The beast tried every trick in the book. Spinning fast in tight circles, rearing, jumping, bucking, turning it's neck to smash my head with it's own, all the while it screamed. I held on for dear life, my muscles burning and twitching from the strain. Levi had mounted Arion and they were circling the frantic horse with another rope in hand. As the beast began to tire it had one more trick up it's sleeve. It stopped moving altogether and Levi saw the opportunity to rope it. As the rope was pulled tight around it's neck, the beast began to fall to one side and roll onto it's back to crush me with it's weight. I tried to swing off to the other side of the horse but I wasn't fast enough. As the beast hit the dirt it ground it's shoulder into my leg and I could hear the sickening crunch of bone. The horse stilled as I screamed bloody murder, one leg caught under it's body. The beast gave one last snort as it stopped thrashing, seemingly happy that it had caused me pain.

I continued screaming as Levi called to the rest of the squad to subdue the crazy beast. After they had more ropes around the horse's neck they pulled on them to get the animal to it's feet and off of my leg. Levi was by my side the moment the horse was off of me. "Serenity I'm so sorry. Why did you come down here. You had no horse, nothing." He continued to scold me as I tried to stop whimpering. "It almost killed Arion.. It almost hurt you.. " I whispered through gritted teeth. Levi continued to study my face, a small smirk adorned his features. "Well, I guess we're both lucky you were here then.." He whispered back. "I need to take a look at your leg though to figure out where it's hurt." I screamed in pain as he tried to examine my leg as gently as possible. I was screaming my head off when he reset the bones in my shin. "Holy shit, why would you fucking do that?! I should kill you, you fuckin asshole!" I continued to scream profanities as Arion came over to nuzzle my cheek in comfort. I stroked his muzzle as he snorted in my face. Levi was splinting my leg as Arion continued to comfort me. "Yeah, you're good, Unlike that asshole over there." I whispered to Arion. Levi snorted. "I heard that you brat." I rolled my eyes and Arion seemed to do the same. "Your leg will be alright. There is no splintering and the bone didn't break the skin so with some time your leg will be as good as new. We need to get you back to base so you can recieve medicine for the pain." Levi said as he stood. I can honestly say the ride back was the worst ride of my life even if I was cradled against Levi's strong chest.

Author's note: Hey everyone! Sorry that it took so long for an update. My apologies if there are mistakes as well. I wanted to get something to you guys and I felt bad. Things just came up. Life and work. I will continue writing though don't you worry about that! I know it's short but I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please leave a review. It helps a lot! Thanks for reading! - GurgleBurgle


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It's been a few weeks now since my accident with the clydesdale. I'm able to walk on my leg a bit and the pain is almost gone. Levi has come to visit me everyday to let me know how Arion was doing. The poor thing suffered huge gashes from the other horse's hooves. I felt bad that I wasn't able to keep Arion from harm, but Levi kept telling me that Arion was a trained war horse and had suffered greater injuries. I didn't care. I kept asking to leave my hospital room but every nurse, doctor, and comrade wouldn't allow it.

"You've been injured pretty bad Ivaskov. Do you know how much force it takes to break a leg?" They all repeated. So for four weeks I have seen nothing but the same four white walls and the same square of sky from the same window. My dreams have come and gone. I never wake up screaming anymore but I did dream of Levi. It's embarrassing and completely immoral to fall for you own commanding officer but I kept all that to myself anyway. I did get to see Rai a few times when he got the chance to visit me. He is moving up fast in his squad, almost a second in command already. As I was laying in my uncomfortable hospital bed, I heard a rasp at the door. I sat up a little bit and yelled for them to come in. "Hey, Ivaskov." it was Levi. "Hay is for horses." I snickered. "Ha-ha. Funny as always." Levi countered. "Speaking of horses... do you think I can go visit Arion today?" I asked, giving my best impression of a puppy.

I studied Levi's face as he stared at me. He was thinking so hard I could almost see the damn gears turning in his brain. "I don't see why not." I almost shouted with happiness. "Finally! I'm so happy to get out of this damn room." I beamed at Levi while he bent to help me to my feet. "Be thankful we are on the ground floor of the facility, or else your ass wouldn't be going anywhere." He said with a smirk. As soon as I was on my feet, Levi put a supportive arm around me and settled his hand around my back and right below my breast. I started blushing like fucking crazy. His body was hard. All roped muscle. He was so warm it was impossible not to lean into him. "You're looking like you don't feel too well, Ivaskov. Maybe we should wait a while.." I gave him my best death glare. "You're shitting me. I'm fine. I can't be in that room another damn moment. With that he hmphed and we coninued to the stables.

As we entered the stables I could hear an excited snorting coming from down the barn. I looked up and Arion had his head poked out over his stall door, bobbing his head up and down. "Aww hey boy! How are you? Has Levi been nice?" I asked as I wobbled up to open Arion's stall door. After I got it open the huge beast immediately began rubbing his soft, satin nose in my face. I laughed as I hugged him by the neck. "You know.. he only acts that way with you. It's crazy because he bites the shit out of anyone else except me." Levi stated as he patted the horse's side.

"Well holy shit, she isn't dead." I deadpanned as I turned around. "Oluo, don't be an ass. You knew she wasn't dead." Eld said as he smacked Oluo on the back of the head. "You thought I was dead?!" I asked, waiting for Oluo to get close enough so Arion could bite him. "He's just jealous that you actually caught the horse he had originally wanted." Levi stated in a bored tone. "Yeah, I'm soooo jealous. Newbie has a broken leg! Like I'm jealous of that bi-" Gunther was now blowing the smoke off of his fist as Oluo hit the ground with a thud. Eld and Gunther continued walking up to me, but they were stopped in their tracks as Arion chomped his teeth at them. "We're glad you made it newbie. I've never seen anyone get close enough to rope that damned beast let alone ride it. You did good, kid." Eld said as he messed up my hair. "Well, it's not like it looked good or anything. I've been in a hospital for over a month." I thought to myself as I smiled at Eld.

"You're a badass in my book" Gunther said as he smiled at me. "Thanks guys... but I think you should back up..." I stated, feeling Arion shift at my side. As soon as I said the words Arion had reached out with his mouth to grab at Gunther's hair. "No boy, don't bite." I scolded him as I held my arm to cradle his head. Arion stopped his advance on the guys but snorted in annoyance. "Yeah I know, you want take a chunk out of everyone's ass." I laughed as I patted his neck. "So, where is the clydesdale anyway?" I asked, looking down toward the end of the barn. "She's in a stall but we had to tie her up. She wouldn't stop beating herself against the walls." Levi stated as he walked over to keep me from wobbling and falling as I tried to walk. "Let me see her.." I said trying to make my way down to the other stalls.

"Well, we'd love to stay and hang out but we've got paper work to fill out. Damn Oluo had to go and get knocked out so now we have an accident report." Gunther said scowling at an awakening Oluo. "Get up Oluo, We're heading out." Eld said as he walked toward the exit of the barn. As we said our goodbyes for the day, Levi helped me to the stall where my horse was being detained. "Oh, no.." I gasped as I clutched the stall door. "She looks awful... I feel so bad." My voice strained with guilt. I hated seeing animals that were suffering, and this horse was definitely suffering. I looked at her and she stared back. She had a large cover wrapped around her that was tied on with ropes. I could see where it was torn because she had thrown herself against the rough wooden walls of the stall. There was nothing but sadness in her eyes, her freedom gone. I went to open the stall door but Levi put a restaining hand on my shoulder.

"She's still wild, Serenity. She will attack." Levi warned. I turned my head to look at him. "I don't care, she's miserable. I have to try." I whispered as I eased the stall door open. The horse immediately shifted her weight, ready for anything. I eased in, talking softly to the frightened animal. "Shh, girl. It's alright." Levi kept close to me, ready to help me if the stallion attacked. I eased further in the stall and grabbed some oats from the bucket of feed next to the stall door. I held them out to her as I inched closer. "Don't be scared, girl. I won't hurt you." I whispered, still trying to calm her. I stopped and stood still as she stomped her foot to the ground and flicked her ears in annoyance. "Hey now, no need to get bitchy. It's just oats." I said on a chuckle. I watched as the clydesdale's ears flicked forward, listening to me laugh. Then it noticed Levi and she got pissed all over again. I looked over my shoulder. "Could you step out of the stall...please?" I whispered to him.

"Are you stupid?" He asked in a sarcastic manner. I glared at him. "She feels like she is being ganged up on. I need to be in here alone." I huffed. I watched as Levi rolled his eyes and backed away. I then turned around to the horse and held the oats out as I got even closer. I reached out even further to her and stopped moving when she flattened her ears. "Good girl, it's alright..." I whispered. I then watched in awe as she reached her head over to me to sniff the oats I held. All at once she started eating from my hand. I gave Levi my "I told you so" look as he looked as stoic as ever. I reached up with my free hand to pat the stallion on the forehead. "Alright, that's enough. Don't push your luck." Levi stated as he grabbed for my arm to help me exit the stall.

I hooked the latch on the stall door and said goodbye to my horse, feeling much better now that I got to show her some kindness. "It's time for lunch. I'll take you back to the room."Levi said in a bored tone. "Thanks for taking the time to help me get out of that awful bed today." I said, giving my best smile to my captain. He didn't even look at me as we kept walking back to my hospital room. "Tch.. " I chuckled at his remark. After he helped me back to my room and into the bed he sat in a chair a few feet away. We sat in comfortable silence as I ate the lunch that the nurse brought. I looked up and caught Levi staring, not quite at me but at something slightly off to the side. "What..? I asked, swallowing a bite of bread.

I watched as he stood and started walking toward me. I froze as he reached out and grabbed the black feather that was still tied in my hair. Blushing brightly, I looked up at him. "I'll come to check on you tomorrow." His expression was as stoic as ever. "O-okaaay?" I said quizically. He stood there a moment, playing with the feather. He looked down to me and he looked like he was about to say something but then huffed and took a breath. "Until then." He whispered. I watched as he left and the door shut behind him. I spent the rest of the day laying in bed and thinking. Thinking about my horse, my team, but mostly about Levi. "He acts so different with me... I don't understand... He is so strict with Oluo, Eld, and Gunther, but I can get away with joking with him and giving him a hard time." I thought to myself as I stared out the window. Soon enough night had fallen and I was getting tired. I turned over to go to sleep and it seemed like as soon as I shut my eyes, I was dreaming of Levi again.

Author's note: Hey again. I'm sorry that I had to put a filler chapter in here. I promise the next couple chapters will be awesome and exciting! Please hang in there! Let me know what you guys think so far! I love to hear your ideas as well!


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